I looking for any advice any of you might have for a suggested route from Boise to the Bay area. Easiest and safest most direct route would be highly appreciated. Also any suggestions for a nice scenic route through Oregon and then down would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

reilly61 wrote:I looking for any advice any of you might have for a suggested route from Boise to the Bay area. Easiest and safest most direct route would be highly appreciated. Also any suggestions for a nice scenic route through Oregon and then down would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

What does Bay Area mean? What is your destination airport? Are you comfortable in a Tracon environment?

EB

I'm visiting my son in the Berkely area. Have not decided on an airport yet in that vicinity yet. Very comfortable in tracon area - am instrumented rated, normally fly an Aztec IFR about 200 hours a year, but will be flying a Dakota on this trip. Based out of Wisconsin, but have a Dakota in Glenwood Springs, Co.

I would probably head out of Boise toward Klamath Falls, then south west over towards I-5 at Montegue or there abouts. Then down I-5. Fly over the top of Travis and into Buchannan. Your fuel/lunch stop is Willows-Glen County (wlw).

There are a million other ways to do it of course.

EB

You can get Mogas at either Denio Junction or Rome. Both have long smooth dirt strips. We usually cross around Blue Canyon through the I80 corridor. Auburn has a nice restraunt on the field.

I would consider KLOL (Derby field) as my halfway point to get gas (bring your own lunch) and my destination as either Oakland or Hayward. Truckee had a nice little deli at the airport the last time I was there (2 years ago) and crossing the Sierras from Truckee to Blue Mountain is one of the lowest ways.

It is a little out of the way but if you go Bridgeport to Calaveras or Lee Vining to Pine Mountain, the views are exceptionally scenic and Calaveras currently has some of the cheapest gas in the state. Whoa Nelli Deli Cafe at Lee Vining is a destination for whatever exotic special they might have and Bridgeport is an interesting town with good food at a variety of places. The density altitude at these two is high this time of year.

NorCal controllers have so far always been very pleasant to work with. I find Concord tower to be occasionally touchy: I'm sure with good reason. The avionics shop at Concord is great and Bart public transportation gets you from there to anywhere in the bay area.

Auburn is great but then your just an hour away from your destination and the restaurant closes at 2 pm and is so busy on weekends they sometimes run out of food. Nancy's at Willows is open 24 hours and tries for a nice old time atmosphere (Woodlake, O42, has it for real).

How about a stop at Placerville (KPVF)? I remember them always having the cheapest fuel prices along that route.

Flying direct is as good as any it's only about 450nm

Some people might not consider direct to be the safest.

I80 across the Sierras (Truckee, KTRK, to Blue Mountain, KBLU, to Auburn, KAUN) keeps you low and close to people.

Burns (KBNO) to Alturas (KAAT) to Redding (KRDD) to Nancy's Cafe at Williows (KWLW) to the Bay Area keeps you low and somewhat close to people. That route is 20% longer. If the air is clear, the California central valley is gorgeous.

Placerville fuel is on the low side: $5.24. Tracy, KTCY, Rio Vista, O88, and Byron, C83, are similarly low. Calaveras (KCPU) is at $4.90 and Los Banos is at $4.83

Thank you everybody for your very helpful suggestions! I really appreciate it!!

I used to go BOI over the top of Tahoe and straight in, worked for me.

Depends I think. The main reason I would fly the central valley as far as possible is that it's generally smoother air than the east side of the Sierra. Especially afternoons.

EB

ok i can understand that, that is why most of us, pilots that is, get up during gods hour and leave early, back on the ground by noon latest.

soaringhiggy wrote:ok i can understand that, that is why most of us, pilots that is, get up during gods hour and leave early, back on the ground by noon latest.

I'm with you. Leave Boise area crack of dawn. Get a spectacular view of the Owyhee Canyons as the sun rises and smooth cool air all the way to CA. And you gain an hour when you land in CA.

Made the trip from Boise to San Francisco 2 weeks ago wanted to follow up on the 2 alternate routes most of you suggested. Going over to SF from Boise I flew direct to Klamath Falls - really south of that route near Lake City to cut the corner and then south from Redding to Willows for breakfast and then on into Concord. On the way back I flew direct Concord to Reno area then WMC and then north to Boise. The Norcal and Oakland/Travis Approach controllers were really friendly and helpful - almost going out of their way to help, especially for someone like me who flies alot in the Chicago area and has to deal with generally irritable Chicago area controllers (especially for VRF traffic).

Of the 2 routes the southern route going by way of WMC seems overall better, as well as 60 miles shorter. While the terrain is higher and more rugged from Reno to SAC, the terrian after Reno to the northeast is generally more friendly and flatter than the northern route via Kalmaeth Falls. The terrain between Burns and Lake City and Redding, while not real high, is extremely remote with no ranches, few roads and few if any airports or civilization.

The other big advantage od the southern route is that you can get VFR flight following the entire route, whereas on the northern route from before Burns to Klameth Falls - about 120 or so miles - you cannot get flight following. Also when you cut the corner south and east of Klamath Falls, the terain seems even more remote than between WMC and Boise, which seems to have more roads and ranches along the route. Plus the souternern route is 60 miles shorter. So all in all, I would recommend Boise-WMC-Bay Area if you are trying to do that route in a small airplane.

Thank you again to everyone who gave me suggestions - they were very helpful!! And breakfast at Willows wasn't bad, and the fuel prices there were even better.

Thank you again -

KBOI, 26U,N58, KTRS, KHWD mornings best I like altitude 12,500 less bumps with O2 & Flight Following VFR. Iv'e flown this route many times & always enjoyed the flight.